Old Wine in a New Bottle? AMC Revives 8-Year-Old Kalupur Parking Plan Yet Again

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has once again revived its long-pending proposal to demolish the dilapidated Kalupur Octroi Building and construct a multi-level mechanical parking facility, bringing back a project that has remained stuck on paper for nearly eight years.

Despite being announced and publicised multiple times in the past, the redevelopment has seen virtually no progress on the ground. Now, civic authorities have directed officials to prepare a fresh plan, giving new life to an old proposal.

An Old Project Returns To The Drawing Board

Located near Kalupur Gate, the nearly 70-year-old octroi building has remained abandoned after being declared structurally unsafe.

Municipal offices, including the Tax Department, were shifted out nearly a decade ago, and AMC had earlier unveiled plans to replace the ageing structure with a hydraulic and mechanical parking facility.

However, the project never moved beyond the planning stage. Years later, the civic body is once again pitching the same redevelopment plan, this time with instructions to redraw and rework the proposal.

Legal Roadblocks Still Unresolved

The biggest hurdle continues to be pending litigation involving nearly 112 traders operating from the premises.

While a bank occupying part of the building has already been asked to vacate, the court case involving traders dealing in paan, supari, tobacco and spices remains unresolved.

The project will also require clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the site falls close to the historic Kalupur Gate.

What The Project Promises

If finally executed, the redevelopment is expected to create parking space for approximately:

• 200 two-wheelers
• More than 105 four-wheelers

The facility is aimed at easing chronic parking shortages in the congested Kalupur area.

Kalupur Bridge Redevelopment Also Moves Ahead

In a parallel development, AMC has begun preparations for rebuilding the Kalupur Bridge.

Around 150 shops on the bridge will be removed before demolition begins. The civic body has said eligible shopkeepers will be provided alternative arrangements for rehabilitation.

Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel has directed officials to issue notices, with the relocation process expected to begin shortly.

According to the current plan, work on the Kalupur Bridge will commence after the Sarangpur Bridge project is completed.

Mayor On Why Shops Must Go

Mayor Hitesh Barot said the shops were originally allotted to displaced Sindhi families after Partition to help them earn a livelihood.

Over the years, those temporary establishments became permanent structures.

He said the shops now contribute to severe traffic congestion in Kalupur, while encroachments on footpaths leave little room for pedestrians.